Loew’s Pitkin Theatre

The Loew’s Pitkin Theatre building found between Legion Street and Saratoga Avenue was built in 1929 by Thomas Lamb. Seating 2,827 patrons the Theatre originally operated as a premier movie and performance venue, eventually it strictly showed movies. The 157,000 square foot-space was a multi-tiered theatre with decorative details such as Greek statuary and ornate molding. The Theatre eventually closed in the late 1960s and fell into disrepair. The building remained vacant for about 40 years, recently, POKO Partners, a developer, took on the historically sensitive restoration and renovation project.

After eighteen months of hard labor, POKO Partners was able to restore the landmark’s facade, returning architectural details and ornamentation to their pristine condition. The building now houses 65,000 square-feet of retail shops and restaurants, and the remaining space is occupied by the charter school, Brownsville Ascend Lower School. Ascend opened in 2009 as the second school in the Ascend network. The school now serves kindergarten through grade 5.